The 20-game Big Ten schedule seems like a good idea on paper, but the combo platter of top-notch foes, excellent coaches and the sheer number of games played in a hostile environment makes for a grueling undertaking. And that grind appeared to get the best of the Iowa Hawkeyes late in the 2018-19 season. Fran McCaffery's squad limped to the finish line, dropping its final four Big Ten regular-season contests and continuing a recent trend of late-season slides that some fans have dubbed the annual "Fran Fade." They enter the NCAA tourney with an impressive résumé overall and a high-octane offense, but with serious questions about their ability to stop other teams.
Can McCaffrey add "defense" to his team's collective vocabulary or will the Hawkeyes simply look to outscore its tournament opponents?
ESPN+ has your answers, as Joe Lunardi has enlisted a team of bracketologists to compile advanced metrics, key scouting intel and best- and worst-case tournament scenarios for all 68 teams to help you make smart picks in your bracket.
